How Long Should Trailer Wiring Stick Out Past The Trailer Tongue?

Updated 09/13/2021 | Published 09/12/2021

Question:

how far should the lead stick out past the tongue?

asked by: James

Helpful Expert Reply:

Typically, you want between 16" and 24" of wire to extend past the trailer tongue but it really depends on your particular vehicle and the location of the trailer plug on your vehicle. You want enough wire so that there is not tension on sharp turns, but you don't want too much slack as this could lead to the wires dragging on the ground. Since your 2012 Ford Super Duty has a 7 way connector, you can go with something like Hopkins 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector - 11' # HM20048 which has 7 bare wires that you can connect to your current trailer wiring. It measures 11 feet long and you can trim any excess wiring.

expert reply by: Andrew N